This week is LSE Student Volunteering Week. The overarching theme for the whole week is ‘inclusion’, with each day holding events centred around a sub-theme. Monday is being led by Sarah Onifade (BSc International Relations, 2024), who has chosen to focus her events around mental health. In this blog post, she reflects on why she chose this theme, and how you can get involved.

I choose to focus my day on mental health related activities and awareness because mental health is something extremely close to my heart. I do have a diagnosed mental health related condition and through my life have benefited from various volunteering and initiatives that have provided me with people and resources to manage my mental health better. Additionally, I feel as if there is not that much done to highlight ways in which people who volunteer can look after their mental health and recharge. I have experienced 1^st hand the negative feelings and anger at the world that can be caused when you come face to face with major societal issues through volunteering. Over the summer I had volunteered in my local food bank and pantry. I had to 1^sthand witness parents make decision on what to buy and often telling their children to sadly put items down. After my sessions I would often feel quite down thinking about all the people I had met and their stories. It made me very angry that people had to choose between milk and bread and other items I deemed as essential. It also made me feel guilty towards myself as often the people I interacted with were extremely loving and warm. I felt guilty that I was in a materially better position than them, but I was still struggling with my mental health.

I started to open up to various other people who I knew were extremely involved in volunteering efforts like myself. I found that this feeling was extremely common. Many of us had issues with negative emotions and guilt after we volunteered. This feeling was even shared by some of the other student volunteer ambassadors who were leading on the days. This experience is the premises on the idea of my day.

I based the activities on my day on things that always lift me up and help me to take care of my mental health – especially after volunteering. Yoga has enabled me to be present, breathe and clear my mind. It has been a place of solace for a busy mind which is always thinking about societal inequalities and how I could better help. Painting and art has allowed me expressed difficult emotions. Some of these at the guilt I feel towards my own mental health issues. Studying with others online has made me feel less alone. I hope to use these events to encourage other volunteers to pick up something to allow them to relax and decompress.

Furthermore, one of my other roles has been a peer supporter. If you are not familiar with the scheme, is it a group of trained student volunteers who specialised in pastoral care. We are met to be other student’s point of contact for any matters relating to wellbeing. I became aware of the scheme as I had used it myself during 1^styear. It completely changed the directory of my time at LSE. I was close to dropping out but the student I had talked to made me feel strong and more comfortable to deal with the road ahead. The scheme has allowed me to give back to other students in the way I once received. Moreover, the scheme has introduced me to a lovely group of other LSE students. The other peer supporters have become my closest friends and have helped me through so much challenges. Peer supporting is not easy but I feel completely supported and helped through the guidance and reassurance from the other peer supporters. We also have fortnightly reflective session which are guided by someone on the wellbeing team and aimed to allow us to have a safe confidential space to talk about any issues we have.

I really enjoyed working with the rest of the team to plan out this day. My goal is to create a relaxing environment and help to start discussions on how volunteers can better take care of their mental health.

If Sarah has inspired you to volunteer, check out one of our other ongoing opportunities or book a one-to-one with David Coles, the Volunteer Centre Manager if you have more questions. And why not follow us on Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with our events and opportunities and read our blog for more volunteering tips and stories.